The prior art has provided numerous sampler devices for use in connection with promotion of the sale of fragrances and other products. Known samplers typically are inserted into magazines and catalogs, are used as statement enclosures, or are handed out individually by salespersons at retail establishments. Such samplers typically are of a non-laminar construction and comprise one sheet of a substrate, such as paper, which sheet is temporarily bonded to itself with an adhesive. Microencapsulated fragrance oil is disposed within the adhesive, such that the adhesive both bonds the microcapsules to the substrate sheet and binds together the interior faces of the substrate sheet. When a user separates the sheets, some or all of the microcapsules rupture, thereby releasing the fragrance contained therein for evaluation by the user. A layer of a barrier material, such as a plastic or metal foil, may be utilized to overwrap the sampler to prevent leakage of the fragrance from the sampler. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,188,236, 5,391,420, 4,925,517, and 4,817,860 all disclose releasing fragrance samples through bursting microcapsules adhered to a substrate paper or cardboard backing.
For the manufacturing of fragrance release paper, coated paper is typically preferred and is a conventional and standard item in commerce. It is generally a fibrous sheet having a pigment-bearing resinous coating on one or both sides. Usually the pigment provides a white, bone or ivory coloration to the sheet and typical pigments for producing the commonly used white coated paper are fine white pigment such as clay, calcium carbonate, titania, silica, zinc oxide, etc. A colorless and/or transparent binder, comprising generally synthetic or natural organic polymeric material, is used. The fragrance, incorporated in microcapsules in a suitable formulation, i.e., in a binder or adhesive, is then applied on top of the pigment-bearing coating.
One critical property to prevent the discoloration of the fragrance is that the surface pH of the coating is 7.0 or less. The fragrance formulations are very sensitive to calcium carbonate and pH. Historically the discoloration has been successfully prevented using an acid based base-sheet (pH 4-6.5) without any calcium carbonate in the base sheet, which is then coated with a kaolin clay based formulation.
However, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,239, it is known that considerable disadvantages must be accepted when manufacturing paper under acid conditions, for example the insufficient storage stability and mechanical strength of the acid-sized paper, the acid waste-waters resulting from the process, and the use of relatively expensive fillers such as kaolin or montmorillonite which have to be added on account of the acid pH value of the fiber-suspensions. The acid pH value of the fiber suspension may also cause corrosion in sensitive paper machines and, in addition, rules out the addition of inexpensive fillers such as calcium carbonate, especially chalk. As chalk imparts a high degree of whiteness to the sized paper, a disproportionately large amount of fluorescent whitening agent has to be added in the process for the manufacture of acid-sized paper so as to obtain a sufficiently high degree of whiteness. The acid based paper also has high brittleness which could result in cracking. Finally, it must be mentioned that, according to German “Offenlegungsschrift” U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,165, relatively large amounts of sizing agents are required for processing fiber suspensions to paper.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pigment-coated paper which enables the use of a non-acidic basesheet in the manufacture of a fragrance release paper.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved pigment-coated paper which is brighter and less brittle for use in the manufacture of a fragrance release paper.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for preparing an improved pigment-coated paper which enables the use of a non-acidic basesheet in the manufacture of a fragrance release paper.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for preparing an improved pigment-coated paper which is brighter and less brittle for use in the manufacture of a fragrance release paper.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a fragrance release paper construction for delivering a sample of fragrance suitable to use as an insert in a magazine or incorporation into a leaflet.